Weird but Wonderful

“It’s only weird if it doesn’t work” may be a Bud Light slogan, but local Reiki Master Jesyka Bartlett uses the phrase when talking about her craft.

Reiki is a Japanese healing tradition that many use as a way to recharge their “life batteries.” According to the International Association of Reiki Professionals, the term comes from the Japanese word “Rei” which means “Universal Life” and the word “Ki” which means “Energy.” It is the life energy that flows through every person. Reiki is channeling that energy and the universal frequency that’s understood to be balancing and healing, and using it to your advantage. Bartlett explains that Reiki isn’t a belief system or a religion, rather she compares it to yoga as a kind of spiritual exercise. “Just like yoga, you can just go and it will be good for you,” she explains. “You aren’t prescribed anything and you don’t go to a Reiki church. You go for a completely separate concept.”

Reiki is used and practiced as a way to relieve mental, physical and emotional ailments. “Reiki is smart energy,” Bartlett explains, “you focus on where you think it should go and it will go to the parts of your body that really need it.”

Mid-afternoon, I walked into the studio and was greeted by a warm welcome. Bartlett and I sat down and chatted for a while about different things going on in life and just whatever was on my mind.

During the session, all I had to do was lay down on a message table in comfy clothes and be, “Open to the possibility that this could help me.” I closed my eyes as Bartlett started with the energy at my feet. We spoke a little and even laughed while she transferred the healing energy from the tip of my toes to the top of my head. She explained that different Reiki masters practice different ways, and also accommodate their sessions to the person with whom they’re working. Some people like to listen to music and some like to sit in silence.

At the end of my session, I felt recharged and energized. As I left, I joked that I didn’t know if it was a placebo effect or if it really worked, but I felt amazing and could feel the energy going through my body. Bartlett looked at me and reminded, “It’s only weird if it doesn’t work.” 


 

Weird but Wonderful

World Class Treatment Available at The Ear and Balance Institute
The Ear and Balance Institute, 1401 Ochsner Blvd., Suite A, Covington, (985) 809-1111, EarAndBalance.net

Vertigo can be a debilitating condition, but residents of Louisiana have access to a rare piece of equipment which can cure and benefit sufferers. The Ear and Balance Institute in Covington offers patients treatment with an Epley Omniax Multi-Axial Positioning Chair – one of only 18 in the world. Commenting Dr. Gerard Gianoli, owner and lead physician of the practice, said “The study data for the FDA approval of the Omniax was done in our office. Patients come from all over the U.S. and the world for treatment with it. Chronic and recurrent vertigo can be treated with it, and complex and recurrent cases may also benefit greatly.”


Weird but Wonderful

Deuce  – The Restaurant
Wyndham New Orleans French Quarter, 124 Royal St., 529 7211, WyndhamFrenchQuarter.com

The Wyndham New Orleans French Quarter has completed a multi-million dollar renovation that includes guestrooms and an indoor pool. “The hotel has been updated both inside and out,” General Manager Craig Mouney said. “From painting the entire 20 story high-rise exterior of the hotel to 100 percent new design and goods in the guest rooms.” The hotel partners with  Deuce McAllister’s Ole Saint Kitchen & Tap Restaurant for a wide array of food and beverage options. Legendary Saints and Ole Miss Rebels running back Deuce McAllister and Ballard Brands, LLC partnered with the hotel to launch its first eponymous bar and dining space, featuring classic Southern dishes on the tables and Deuce’s memorabilia on the walls.

– Mirella Cameran

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